Ministry of Education
Prime Minister attends 56th Convocation of IIT Bombay
PM unveils a new building of Department of Energy Science & Engineering and Centre for Environment Science and Engineering
Innovate in India, Innovate for Humanity: PM to graduating students
The Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi, addressed the 56th Convocation of Indian Institute of Technology Bombay in Mumbai today.
Addressing the graduating students, the Prime Minister said that the success of the IITs inspired the creation of several engineering colleges around the country, which led to India becoming one of the world’s largest pools of technical manpower. He said that it is a large number of IIT students who built the IT sector in India brick by brick, or rather, click by click.
The PM said that IIT graduates are at the forefront of some of the best start-ups in India. These are start-ups that are also at the forefront of solving so many national problems. He observed that the biggest corporations of today were start-ups of yesterday and spoke of the need to persist until one achieves success.
Speaking of innovation, the PM said that the best ideas come not in Government buildings or fancy offices, but in campuses like that of IITs, in the minds of youngsters studying in such campuses. He invited students to Innovate in India, innovate for humanity. He stated that innovations and enterprise are going to be the foundation stone for making India a developed economy. A long term sustainable technology-led economic growth is possible on this foundation.
Assuring the audience that the Government is doing everything possible to foster a spirit of research and innovation in India, the PM exhorted the students to affirm that the best ideas will come from Indian laboratories and from Indian students.
The full text of Prime Minister’s address on convocation of IIT Mumbai is available here.
The PM also laid the foundation stone for the new building of the Department of Energy Science & Engineering, and Centre for Environmental Science & Engineering.
Hon’ble Minister of Human Resource Development, Shri Prakash Javadekar; His Excellency, Governor of Maharashtra, Shri. CH. Vidyasagar Rao, and Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Shri Devendra Fadnavis were also present on the occasion, as guests of Honour.
The graduating students this year include 308PhDs, 54 Dual Degrees  and 32 Dual Degrees . Out of these, 36 research scholars were selected for the ‘Award of Excellence in PhD Thesis’ for the year 2018. In addition, 29 joint PhD degrees, in association with Monash University were also conferred by the Vice Chancellor and President of Monash University, Prof. Margaret Gardner, who was present on the occasion.
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Besides these, 7 MSc , 6 Dual Degree , 2 Dual Degree , 615 MTech, 63 Mdes, 27 MPhil, 106 MMgt, 246 two-year MSc, 25 five year integrated MSc, 400 Dual Degree , 651 BTech Degrees, 14 BS and 14 PGDIIT degrees, were awarded at the Convocation.
On the occasion, Degree of Doctor of Science  was bestowed on Dr. Romesh T. Wadhwani, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Symphony Technology Group. Delivering the citation speech, Dr. Wadhwani shared three lessons he said he has learnt. He said one needs to be always resilient and be bold, adding that the most important lesson is that of being generous.
The Chairperson, Board of Governors, IIT Bombay, Shri Dilip Shanghvi congratulated the graduating students and parents and reminded the students that they have been equipped with an education which empowers them to transform not only their lives, but also those of others. He asked them to be kind, bold, not fear failures, realize their passions, follow their dreams and make their family and country proud.
The Director, IIT Bombay, Prof. D. V. Khakar welcomed the Chief Guest and went on to present the Director's Report, highlighting the significant shifts the institute has undergone over the 60 years since its inception. The increased focus on post graduate education and research, inclusion of management and design education, work on rural technologies are some of these, he said. The Director said that to be honoured with the status of 'Instiutution of Eminence' by the Government of India in the Diamond Jubilee Year is an occasion to celebrate the institute's achievements and embark on new initiatives.